How to Commission Game Art for Your Indie Game

Why Commission Rather Than Use Asset Packs?

Asset packs are fine for prototypes and game jams. For a commercial release, custom art gives your game a distinct identity — it's the difference between looking like every other Unity starter kit and having something players recognise. Custom art also means you own it outright and can use it however you need. iZBOT's art was custom-made for the game, which is part of why it has a consistent look across menus, levels, and marketing materials.

What Types of Game Art to Commission

Before you talk to an artist, know what you need:

• Character sprites — your player character, enemies, NPCs. These are often the most time-intensive.
• Background and environment art — tilesets, parallax layers, level backgrounds.
• UI elements — buttons, menus, health bars, icons. These are often underestimated in scope.
• Key art / capsule images — the marketing image that appears on Steam, itch.io, and social media. This is often worth the most investment.
• Animation frames — if your sprites need to animate, factor in the frame count. A 4-directional character with idle, walk, attack, and death animations can be 40–80+ frames.

Where to Find Game Artists

• ArtStation — High-quality professional portfolios. Search for styles similar to your game. Contact artists directly through their profile.
• Twitter/X — Follow #gamedev, #pixelart, #indiedev, and #gameartist. Many artists post commission availability and have pinned tweet rate sheets.
• itch.io — A surprising number of artists sell asset packs and also take custom commissions. Check the "game assets" section and look at artist profiles.
• Fiverr — Budget-friendly options. Quality varies widely. Always check their portfolio carefully and read reviews.
• Reddit — r/gamedev, r/gameDevClassifieds, and r/HungryArtists are active boards where developers post briefs and artists post availability.
• Game dev Discords — TIGSource, GameDev.tv, and the r/gamedev Discord all have art-for-hire channels.

How to Write a Good Brief

A vague brief wastes everyone's time and leads to revisions. A good brief includes:

1. Reference images — screenshots from games with a similar style, mood boards, anything that communicates what you're after visually. "I want something like Hollow Knight but slightly more colourful" is a real instruction.
2. Asset list — specific sprites with dimensions and format. "Main character, 32×32px, PNG with transparent background, walking and idle animations" is actionable.
3. Platform and resolution — mobile vs PC matters for pixel density. Spell it out.
4. Timeline — when you need the assets and whether the deadline is firm.
5. Budget range — be upfront. Artists appreciate knowing whether a project is in their range before investing time in quoting.
6. Usage rights — specify that this is for a commercial game release and that you'll own the final assets.

What to Pay

There's no single rate. Factors include the artist's experience, the asset complexity, and how in-demand they are. Rough ranges for context:

• Simple icons or UI elements: $20–$80 each
• Character sprite (no animation): $80–$300
• Animated character: $200–$600+
• Full tileset: $300–$1,000+
• Key art / capsule image: $150–$600

Getting quotes from 3–5 artists before committing is standard practice. Rates on Fiverr will be lower than ArtStation professionals — the quality difference is usually proportional.

Red Flags and Green Flags

Green flags: artist has a clear portfolio in the style you want, responds promptly with questions about your project, provides a written quote with scope and revision terms.

Red flags: no portfolio visible, unwilling to sign a basic work-for-hire agreement, asks for the full payment upfront before any work is shown, portfolio has no original work (everything is fan art).

Managing the Relationship

Pay a deposit (usually 25–50%) before work starts. Ask to see work-in-progress at sketch/concept stage before they move to final linework. Build revision rounds into your agreement upfront — 2 rounds is standard. Be clear about deadlines but remember artists are often juggling multiple clients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does game art cost to commission?

It varies enormously. Icon packs and simple UI elements from freelance platforms might run $20–$100. Character art from a specialist can be $100–$500 per character depending on complexity and the artist's experience. Full game art packages — backgrounds, characters, UI, animation — can run into the thousands. The best approach is to budget per asset type and get quotes from 3–5 artists before committing.

Where do indie developers find game artists to hire?

The most common places are ArtStation (professional portfolios, high quality), Twitter/X (follow indie game art hashtags like #gamedev and #pixelart), itch.io (many artists sell assets and take commissions), Fiverr (budget-friendly, variable quality), and game dev Discord servers like TIGSource, GameDev.tv, or the r/gamedev Discord. Personal recommendations from other developers are the most reliable source.

What should a game art brief include?

A good brief includes: your game's genre and visual style (with reference images), the specific assets you need (list every sprite, size, format), the intended platform (mobile vs PC affects resolution), your timeline and budget range, and what you'll use the art for (commercial release, personal project). The more specific you are, the more accurate the quote and the fewer revision rounds you'll need.